Dublin's senior hurlers recorded their second successive win in the Leinster championship when they out-classed Westmeath in the round-robin section at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.
Victory in their last game against Laois will now guarantee Dublin a Leinster semi-final spot against Kilkenny.
The visitors made all the running in this encounter and Tomas McGrane soloed through to rifle home their only goal in the fifth minute to put them 1-2 to 0-0 in front.
Paul Williams scored a great point for the losers in the sixth minute, but overall the Dublin backs, with Sean Power, Stephen Perkins and David Sweeney prominent, were too strong for their opponents. From that platform, Sean Duignan, Damien Russell, Tomas McGrane and Dermot Daly were able to extend the lead to eight points.
Greg Gavin and Andrew Mitchell had a point each for Westmeath, but a dominant Dublin added to their tally, with further points from Daly, Russell and Gordon Glynn giving them a comfortable 1-9 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Brendan Murphy, Paul Williams and Martin Williams tried to get listless Westmeath moving, with Murphy knocking over a fine long-range point.
Dublin, however, maintained their control on the game as the forwards and flying wing back, David Sweeney, picked off points with regularity.
Team manager, Michael O'Grady used the second half to watch fringe players Liam Walsh, Shane Martin, Liam Donoghue, Ger Ennis and Philip Harney, and Ennis and Martin responded by getting their names on the score-sheet.
Dublin's margin of victory would have been greater were it not for Westmeath goalkeeper, Brian Conaty, who produced two superb reflex saves.
This facile win will boost the confidence and morale of O'Grady's men. Yet the failure of the forwards to score more goals is a cause for concern and their first touch will have to be improved upon for the sterner Laois test .
Dublin: B McLoughlin; J Finnegan, S Power, C McCann; D Spain, S Perkins, D Sweeney (0-2); D McInerney, M Fitzsimons D Henry; G Glynn (0-2), D Russell; (0-3), T McGrane (1-6), S Duignan (0-2), D Daly (0-2). Subs: L Walsh for Finnegan (35 mins), S Martin (0-1) for Glynn (49 mins) , L Donoghue for M Fitzsimons (55 mins), G Ennis (0-2) for T McGrane (61 mins), P Harney for D McInerney (65 mins)
Westmeath: B Conaty; J Kilroy, M Williams, D Curley; B Williams, B Murphy (0-1); V Bateman (0-1), P Williams (0-1), D McCormack; A Mitchell (0-1); O Devine (0-1), G Gavin (0- 1); B Kennedy, J Gavigan (0-1), D Devine. Subs: A Devine for D Devine (34 mins), C Murtagh for Kennedy (49 mins), F Shaw for Gavin (52 mins), D Gallagher for Curley (60 mins), M Carley for Bateman (70 mins)
Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).
